


Life, It's Not Always Kind

by Grotesgi, NewYorkFly



Category: Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Hermaphrodites, Mating Practices, Other, dragonformers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-13
Updated: 2018-12-13
Packaged: 2019-09-17 14:41:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16976481
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Grotesgi/pseuds/Grotesgi, https://archiveofourown.org/users/NewYorkFly/pseuds/NewYorkFly
Summary: They're young, they're brash, and maybe they shouldn't have been trusted with the responsibility of patrolling their clan's borders just yet. Then again, who could've foreseen someone would pay them a visit?





	Life, It's Not Always Kind

**"** Come on! Catch me!” Sideswipe urged his brother, grinning toothily as he pranced ahead in a call for play. Just a rare cloud dotted the brilliant blue sky above the ground bound pair’s heads, and the sun was at its height, casting barely any shadows in the canyon they were traversing on their patrol route.

It had been an uneventful stroll along the outer edges of the Autoclan’s territory, and that showed in Sideswipe. With nothing to expend his jittery energy on, the red twin was all but ready to jump out of his skin. Just walking around looking for signs of threats or trespasses wasn’t anywhere near enough to even begin to tire him out.

Sunstreaker’s look was exasperated, but fondly so. For a moment he pretended to ignore the imp, the image of utter detachment as he beat the dusty path of the canyon floor, _just_ to drive the impatient half of them into whining out his frustrations.

It didn’t even take long for things to escalate. When he didn’t get the attention he wanted, Sideswipe turned everything into the look of a kicked hatchling, bleating with pleading eyes. Brother oh brother, why won’t you play with him? What is this cruelty you make him suffer? ‘Tis not fair!

The golden twin’s disinterest wasn’t a discouragement, at any rate. No, far from it. It just meant he had to work _harder_ to entice his broody brother into some frolicking. And work harder Sideswipe did, coming close to bump his head into Sunstreaker’s, to nip him, to pull at his mane, whatever fancied him – all only to sprint away the next second. Dust raised into a cloud behind him as he ran back and forth and in circles, _anything_ it would take to get the response he wanted.

He would be awarded for his persistence eventually, he knew that. That’s how it always went. Sunstreaker would play hard to get, but it was all just an act. He _wanted_ to play, but dignity or some other stupid reason like that kept him from doing it at first invitation.

Or maybe he just enjoyed making Sideswipe run himself to the ground. It was probably that, actually.

Sadist.

But nothing would change the fact they were both still younglings barely into maturity, with all the energy and mischief that came with it. It took too long in Sideswipe’s opinion, but the important thing was that it _worked_. He made one more pass at Sunstreaker, just like all the others, but _this time_ , this time when he jumped away he felt his brother’s teeth graze his flank.

Sideswipe squealed in both surprise and excitement and darted forward with all his legs were worth. He could feel Sunstreaker’s breath hot on his tail and hear the thump and scrape of clawed feet sprinting on dry ground, making the playful threat of his brother that much more real.

Laughter tore from his throat even as he tucked his wings as tight to his body as he could and pushed himself onward, faster, faster, faster. Behind him Sunstreaker did the same, as determined to catch his twin as that twin was to get away from him.

Exhilaration pumped in their veins, their hearts picking up into a drumming pace as they chased each other under the burning sun, zigzagging this way and that with twists and turns sharp enough to dig furrows into the ground. If Ironhide had seen them, he would’ve for sure reprimanded them for not paying attention to their patrol, but come on. There was nothing here! All they’d seen were lizards and other small critters either basking in the sun or running from it. Nothing was amiss, and they definitely hadn’t run into anything that would’ve been a threat to the clan.

What could happen?

It wasn’t _inevitable_ that Sunstreaker was going to catch his brother at some point, but it happened anyway. One well timed and well aimed jump had him tackling Sideswipe straight into the dusty ground, the red twin going down with an “Oof!”

It was just more reason to laugh, so he laughed. The red twin was quick to roll onto his back as Sunstreaker pounced, meeting him claw to claw with grins and chitters. The chase devolved into a tussle, kicks and bites amidst waving wings and swinging tails quickly surrounding them in a cloud of displaced dirt that tickled its way into their nostrils and down their throats.

And still, despite the sharpness of their claws and the razor edges of their teeth, no serious harm was inflicted on either of them. Like any dragon who’d ever had playmates growing up, they’d done this long enough to know where the lines between ‘play’ and ‘serious’ were.

And this? This was all in good humor, despite the growls and snarls that were tossed into the fray.

“Well well well, what do we have here?”

The deep, gravelly voice cut through their wrestling like a knife. Both of them froze, sharing an apprehensive look in the tangle of limbs they were locked in. There was no mistaking that voice.

The twins disengaged too fast to do so without accidental scrapes, rushing to their feet and turning side by side to face the figure intruding into the moment and into this _territory_. Large, grey, all muscle with too many sharp edges to already sharp scales… “Megatron,” Sunstreaker hissed, flaring his wings in threat and crouching in preparation for a more violent confrontation. They weren’t a match to the leader of the Deceptitribe, but what were they to do? They couldn’t just let him strut on Autoclan territory like he owned the place.

Where had he even _come_ from? Had they really gotten so distracted that they’d get caught off-guard by one of the least stealthy dragon either of them knew?

“What are you doing here?” Sideswipe asked for both of them, similarly defensive to his brother and growling like he was any true threat to the – frankly massive – silver dragon.

And Megatron knew the power _im_ balance of the situation too, if his cocked brow and amused smirk were anything to go by. Really, that was probably the best they could do: entertain the enemy leader with their attempts to appear threatening.

Sideswipe swallowed nervously, but he and his brother weren’t cowards. What they _were_ was foolhardy. They weren’t going to back down just because the odds were colossally not in their favor.

If Megatron had decided to not answer their question, there wasn’t much they could’ve done to force, but apparently he was _kind_ enough to humor them.

More concerning was the fact that he started to slowly, _deliberately_ , approach them. “Why, I was just flying overhead when I noticed some… _Unusual_ activity,” the silver giant rumbled with a quirk in the corner of his mouth, paying no mind to the way Sideswipe’s frame lowered further towards the ground or how both of their lips peeled higher up with every step he took, baring more and more of the rows of sharp, glistening fangs.

In truth, Sideswipe couldn’t blame him for completely dismissing them as any kind of threat.

It was still kind of insulting, though.

“And what, you just decided to come down and check what was up? You’re _trespassing_ ,” the red twin snapped back, feigning a lunge at the ever approaching tyrant.

“So I am,” intoned Megatron. The _gall_ he had to just admit to it so casually, gods! “Is there something you’re going to do about it?” he continued, flicking his wings in a motion that was so careless it was nothing short of mockery. He was _goading_ them, and there was no doubt it was completely on purpose.

They knew it was on purpose. They did, they were both so _aware_ of it.

Still they played handsomely right into the devil’s hands.

Sunstreaker was the one in motion first, but Sideswipe was only a split-second behind his twin with a bellow for help. They darted forward like the team they were, and to their credit, Megatron did at least _somewhat_ prepare himself for their attack – in the kind of lazy way one prepared in to swat away a pest.

And they _tried_ , they really did, but it was kind of an effort doomed from the start, wasn’t it? Backup wasn’t anywhere nearby, and there they were, two young ones against the brutal and far older leader of their rival tribe. All of their training couldn’t match up to his experience and physical superiority. Megatron deflected all of their attacks with ease and growing amusement that was just about _palpable_ , all the while barely returning any of it.

He was _toying_ with them. That’s what it was, right? No matter how they tried to circle him and get him off balance by attacking from two sides, there was always a wing, a tail, a clawed foot or a heavy head driving them away, forcing them to recoup their bearings, scan for any possible weak spot open for attack, and try again.

Round they went, Megatron in the middle like an impenetrable fortress that they circled and circled in fruitless effort.

It was _laughable_. Sideswipe was almost surprised Megatron _wasn’t_ outright laughing. He sure seemed amused enough for it.

But no one could say they didn’t try.

“As entertaining as this is,” the beast of a dragon eventually commented, prompting both of the twins to draw back for a moment, “I did come here for something.”

Sideswipe frowned, confused. Sunstreaker had no caution of the like, and with a snarl, lunged at the tyrant again.

Megatron chose that moment to stop playing games. With a single swipe of one massive foreleg he sent the rash youngling flying into the canyon wall, where he impacted with the unrelenting rock with a sickening _crack_.

Sideswipe had none of the time to react and all he could do was stare as Sunstreaker slumped where he fell. He didn’t even try to get back up right away, clearly disoriented, but when he did try, his attempts had no success.

Even an idiot would’ve realized it was one on one now, and if their odds had been nonexistent before, they had probably just dipped into the negatives. A brief moment of panic overtook Sideswipe, but that was quickly ran over by the instinctual need to protect his twin. All of his attention whipped back to Megatron, and without ever taking his eyes off of him, Sideswipe positioned himself squarely between the tyrant and his brother. His wings were shaking, and hell, his legs were too, but he wasn’t just going to leave his twin defenseless – as pitiful of a defense as he made. “I think you should leave,” Sideswipe stated, surprised by how even he managed to keep his voice. One small thing he could congratulate himself on, at least.

_Please, please just go away._

Megatron pretended to consider it for a moment, though the effect of that was greatly lessened by the fact he began _stalking_ closer to Sideswipe. “Hmm… No,” came the predictable answer, and if Sideswipe was quaking before, his heart sure started hammering when the tyrant kept on _approaching_ with the surety of a rolling avalanche. Sideswipe held his ground because he didn’t know what else to do, but no matter how threatening he tried to make himself look, it didn’t fool either of them.

“Stay _away_ ,” he growled, snapping his jaws and just so shying away from the larger dragon when was almost a neck’s reach away.

Too close.

Of course Megatron ignored him. Well, sort of. He paid no attention to what he was saying, but all of his attention was _squarely_ on Sideswipe.

It was beyond unsettling, and a bad feeling made itself at home in his gut.

Megatron halted _just_ out of reach, and every last one of Sideswipe’s hackles raised as far as they would go at the way Megatron passed his eyes over him, looking like he was sizing him up or… Or…

It looked a lot like he _liked_ what he saw. Sideswipe hissed, drawing further away from Megatron without actually moving away. Like bloody pit was he going to let his fear get the better of him – but he was afraid.

Primus, he was so _afraid_.

“Come _here_ ,” Megatron suddenly growled, and with speed at complete odds with his size, lunged that final distance between them. Sideswipe only had the time for a yowl of alarm before the massive frame collided with him despite his best attempt to dodge out of the way. Megatron knocked him to the ground and trapped him there with his weight, four pillar like legs caging him from all sides.

“No!” Sideswipe shouted, snapping at the larger dragon and trying so hard to thrash his way free. “Get off of me! _Get off of me!”_

All his trouble was rewarded with nothing more than a deep, _satisfied_ rumble that wormed its way from the massive chest pressing against him straight down into his bones. Sideswipe shuddered, clawing at the ground, at Megatron’s legs, at _anything_ he could reach. It didn’t do him any good even when he managed to draw blood; Megatron paid _no mind_ to any his attempts to escape.

And if behind his quickly rising panic Sideswipe had been confused – confused as to what Megatron was doing, why he was doing _this_ instead of killing or disabling him, – he didn’t have to bear that feeling for long. Not when Megatron _resettled_ himself and pressed his hips downward.

Sideswipe had never done _that_ particular deed before, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t recognize it.

“NO!” he yelled, redoubling his efforts to just get _away_ even as Megatron grabbed him by the neck, manhandling his writhing, slighter body into the position he wanted him in. At least he was allowed to get his legs under himself, but that wasn’t good, that wasn’t good in this situation. Sharp fangs sunk deeper into the flesh of his neck the more he struggled, but it didn’t even matter how much he fought. Megatron bore him back into the ground, his weight on Sideswipe’s back heavy enough to constrict his chest. Part of him worried Megatron would just _crush_ him under his mass, but that wouldn’t have worked too well for what the tyrant wanted, now would it have?

And Sideswipe knew what he wanted, he just _knew_.

Even as those herculean legs settled to trap him in place and his struggles became futile jerks under the _control_ exerted over his body, Sideswipe searched for Sunstreaker. He could just see him from the corner of his eye, but he still hadn’t moved.

Sideswipe didn’t know who to be more worried for, himself or his brother. Sunstreaker should have gotten up by now! Sideswipe needed him.

He needed anyone. Help was far away though. They were at the very edge of their territory. The dens with Optimus and Ironhide and Ratchet and everyone else were so far away. Even if they’d left right at their first call, there was no way anyone, even their fliers, would make it here before…

A thin whine escaped his lips. This couldn’t be true, this couldn’t be happening, _this wasn’t supposed to happen!_

But Megatron was undeniable over him, and as unrelenting as everything had ever made him seem to be. Sideswipe fought to keep his tail down and curled his hindquarters towards the ground the best he could, but Megatron did no more than _laugh_ at his resistance.

Despair started to set in when the tyrant reached back with one massive paw and took a brutal hold of his hip. Sideswipe cried out when long talons sank into him like he was no more than prey to be brought down, and with that cruel grasp Megatron turned his hips up despite all of his protests.

And he did protest. For every inch his muscles lost to the strength of the silver beast, Sideswipe had five times the words to express his denial – _he wasn’t giving permission to this, he wasn’t! –_  and voice his pleas and threats for his freedom.

Megatron had no mercy to spare for him. Sideswipe could feel that… _That_ rubbing against his tail, an undeniable indicator of what exactly Megatron planned to do with him – _to_ him. And his tail didn’t keep the monster of a dragon at bay for long either. Glistening red blood streamed from the wounds created as Megatron manually forced his tail aside and that _thing_ pressed against the underside of his body.

Frantic, Sideswipe pushed and pulled with all of his strength to escape, _somehow_. The little dignity he’d ever had was trampled to the ground as he pleaded and begged for any out of the situation, but all of it fell on deaf ears and his strength got him nowhere when put against Megatron’s utter dominance.

“Let me go!” Sideswipe still tried – _and failed –_  when Megatron found his slit and settled himself to push against it – _into_ it. “Let me _go!_ No! _Don’t-!”_

“Yessss,” Megatron hissed into his bloodied neck as he shoved his way inside, the virgin walls forcefully spread apart by the intrusion of the member as big as the rest of its owner. Sideswipe’s rising cry bled into the wind as an all new kind of pain bloomed at his entrance and in everything beyond it. It hurt in ways he could scarcely describe, and before he could even think about categorizing it, Megatron had shoved _all of him_ inside the unwilling opening and bumped too roughly against the roof of his channel.

His mind couldn’t keep up. He couldn’t begin to comprehend it, and Megatron gave him no time. Aside from a non-stop whine and the puffs of air that were forced out of him by the force of Megatron’s thrusts, Sideswipe fell quiet as the tyrant set up a punishing pace and rammed into him like the devil was driving him.

 _No._ He’d said _no._

When he couldn’t make sense of that new form of violence, his mind focused on everything else – on the more familiar things, the more familiar pains that he’d suffered during hunts, training, and skirmishes. The punctures in his neck, the blood trickling out of them, the saliva trickling into them, the teeth still lodged in place and further aggravating the already burning wounds; his hip, his tail, deep but simple wounds like the hundreds of others he’d gained and survived, already drying up. The aches along his back with their promises of painful bruises, and the scrape of coarse, coarse scales against his leathery skin, nothing he hadn’t experienced before. When Megatron’s forelegs moved to his middle and _grabbed_ to pull him more firmly against him, the rend of skin and flesh by sharp claws was just another thing he remembered from past instances in so, so very different contexts.

Pains and hurts he could make sense of. Anything but… _Anything but…_

Sideswipe keened as Megatron thoroughly claimed the prize that was him. His insides felt so raw, and yet Megatron hadn’t had his fill. He’d never felt so _helpless_.

How had things come to this? _Why?_

“Why..?” He wasn’t sure if Megatron heard, but if he did, he didn’t answer. With a final harsh slam the body above his stiffened, a growl reverberating the air around him as he felt the pulsing of the despot’s erection that heralded hot bursts of liquid against his chafed insides. It stung, and he squirmed in discomfort for all the good that did him.

And then… Then what? Was this the point where he should start feeling relieved? Was it _over?_ Megatron didn’t get off of him, or _out_ of him, but Sideswipe still shuddered in something that felt a lot like relief.

That feeling was much stifled by the way Megatron _relaxed_ over him. He released his neck, although still nothing suggested he would be allowed to wiggle his way free. Claws and weight still held him in place as Megatron nuzzled into his neck in some mockery of affection, inhaling his scent mingled with blood.

A shiver ran down his spine, all the way to the tip of his tail. He wanted to be _anywhere_ but there, stuck under the tyrant’s bulk with the walls of his sex still spread apart by him. He hurt in so many ways, but the most acute of all the aches was the alien burn right between his legs.

He just wanted it to be _over_ so he could retreat to lick his wounds, both metaphorically and literally, but the tyrant seemed to be in no hurry.

Sideswipe released a shaky exhale and tried to do what Megatron did: relax. It was nigh impossible, but he wasn’t _actively_ being hurt anymore. That was progress, probably.

And frankly, all the physical exertion and stress was getting to him. His mind and body were both tiring, and the most he just wanted to get away and escape the demands so suddenly placed on his young body.

And what about Sunstreaker? Sideswipe’s eyes shifted to the side to check on his brother. The golden dragon still hadn’t moved, at least not anything other than his head, but it looked like he was – or had been – watching. Sideswipe wasn’t sure he was conscious right then.

How badly had Megatron hurt him? Sunstreaker could take a hit. This was unheard of.

Everything had gone so _wrong_. So, so wrong...

“Megatron!” a sudden, thunderous voice called out. Sideswipe jolted in surprise, but as soon as he recognized who the voice belonged to, a kindling of hope flared to life in his chest.

“Optimus!” Megatron said over him, sounding so _pleased_ even though Sideswipe would’ve rather guessed he’d be annoyed by the intrusion. He craned his neck to see the approaching drakes and dragons around Megatron’s frame, tugging with renewed vigor to get himself free even as Megatron continued, “I was hoping you’d come.”

Lazily, like he wasn’t outnumbered ten to one, Megatron finally deigned to remove himself. Sideswipe stiffened momentarily at the thoroughly unpleasant sensation of the silver dragon’s member exiting his body, a rush of liquid following suit, but that was followed right after by a shiver of _relief_. And this time it was relief, there was no doubt about that.

Help had come and things would be alright. Sunstreaker would get help and they could go home and… And forget about this.

~~Right?~~

The moment Megatron unhooked his claws from the gouges he’d left on his sides and took enough of his weight off of him that he actually had the room to move, Sideswipe was out of there, darting from under the larger dragon with no heed for his bloodied body. His feet left scrapes into the ground from the tightness of the turn he made to aim himself onto the beeline trajectory to safety, and then he propelled himself forward to Optimus and Ironhide and Ratchet and-

A heavy paw trampled his tail in a savage hold that halted his momentum as easily as ramming into a rock wall would have. Sideswipe crashed into the ground in eerie recall of how Sunstreaker had tackled him earlier, but that time he wasn’t left a pained heap equal parts shocked over what had happened and _yearning_ with all his heart for the safety of his clan and family.

Foregoing the jarring pain in his tail, Sideswipe rolled over enough to aim his best glare at Megatron despite how his heart kept skipping beats in his agitation. “What are you doing?” he demanded, ignoring the way his voice cracked and let desperation bleed into his vocals through the fissures. “Let me go already!” _What more could you want?_

“Hasn’t your _clan_ taught you anything?” Megatron asked in return, looking far too smug for Sideswipe’s comfort. The scourge shot a meaningful look over the red dragon’s head before returning his attention on Sideswipe with intensity that had him shrinking away from the winged beast. “You belong to _me_ now,” he continued with that triumphant, self-satisfied look, grabbing his tail into a proper hold and tugging him, roughly, back towards him.

And Sideswipe froze from head to the tips of his toes. He knew it was coming, he did, somewhere deep down, but denial was a powerful thing that he’d readily wrapped himself in. “No. No!” Quiet at first, his voice rose in volume hand in hand with his growing desperation. “No! Let go of me you snail eating bastard! _No!_ ” He didn’t care about how Megatron’s claws dug into his tail and left long stripes in their wake, he pulled for all he was worth to just get _away-_

Help was here. It wasn’t supposed to be this way.

It wasn’t…

But no matter how he tried, Megatron’s hold was made of iron and he was sooner going to amputate his tail than escape. Sides heaving from his panicked breaths, Sideswipe turned pleading eyes to the leader of his clan. They were here, they were supposed to _help!_

_This wasn’t_ **_right_ ** _!_

“Optimus! Optimus don’t let him do this _please…_ ” he begged. His claws dug furrows into the ground despite the already proven vanity of his efforts to escape the clutches of the despot. But he couldn’t stop _trying_. How could he have?

All Optimus had to give to him was an apologetic look and a shake of his head. “I’m sorry, Sideswipe,” and knowing Optimus, he meant that too, for all the good that did anyone right then. “You know how things are.”

And he did know. He did know.

He did.

Accepting it was the harder exercise. “Ironhide?” he tried, but their aging mentor merely lowered his head, trying and failing to hide the sorrow and anger in his expression. “Ah’m sorry, young’in.”

Sideswipe could feel his hope dim into quickly dying embers. “Ratchet?” he implored quietly, desperately, but the healer wouldn’t even look at him as he went to attend to Sunstreaker. “I’m sorry, kid,” was all he said, and the poorly veiled pain in their surrogate carrier’s voice only fueled Sideswipe’s growing fury.

Anyone else’s eyes that he searched for – Cliffjumper, Jazz, Silverbolt, Air Raid, Bumbelebee, _anyone,_ – none would meet his gaze. He could sense all their anger, but what could they do?

Sunstreaker. Sunstreaker would have backed him up, but he couldn’t do that, because Megatron had hurt him.

Fear and anger swirled together into a maelstrom, but he couldn’t blame his family, not really. There was nothing they could’ve done, no matter how Sideswipe hoped.

There was only one deserving target for his anger. Snarling, Sideswipe turned around and lunged straight for the silver monster’s throat. His show of defiance was thwarted with a single slam from that horned head, the blow sending him sprawling on the ground. For as dazed as he was from the head to head impact, Megatron looked completely unaffected.

A pitiless paw came down onto his neck, pressing over the teeth marks its owner had already left on him. The partially clotted wounds were quick to open all over again, blood further tainting his mane and skin.

Sideswipe didn’t care about the pain of it, struggling against the hold in a frenzy until the weight of that single leg holding him down started to choke him, and still he continued even past that, all the way to the point it became apparent that Megatron would – and very well could – crush his neck and leave him to die. Only in the face of complete paralyzation and the certain death that would’ve spelled did Sideswipe go quiescent, his gasping breaths intermittent with the growls he could manage holding no candle to the enmity burning in his eyes.

And yet the intensity of his gaze fell victim to the tightly controlled _bile_ that was aimed at him by Megatron. It was all Sideswipe could do to hold onto his glare when Megatron lowered his head next to his, his overbearing stare unwavering when he spoke – or rather, _growled_ , “Try a stunt like that again and I’ll rip your wings off.”

There was no way it was an empty threat.

Megatron held him in place long enough for the message to sink in before abruptly releasing him, apparently trusting that he wouldn’t try to run away this time. Sideswipe gasped for uninhibited air, and to Megatron’s credit, his judgement was right in that the twin didn’t immediately make a run for it.

What was the point? Answer that, _what was he point?_ He couldn’t go back home now.

There was only one place for him to go to.

All because of Megatron and his whims.

Sideswipe picked himself up carefully, decidedly not looking at anyone of his… _Former_ clan. He didn’t want to see the pity in their eyes, and he didn’t… He didn’t need their apologies.

It wasn’t their fault.

Neither did he look at Megatron as he stood quietly by the tyrant's side, the picture of forced compliance. It was all _Megatron’s_ fault, he was the only one to blame.

But it would be best for him if he worked over his resentment quickly. Like, on the way to the Deceptitribe, ideally.

Otherwise what was awaiting him at the other end would be even harder than it needed to be.

Sideswipe clenched his jaw and fought to hold back the keen that wanted to rise.

What a mess he’d gotten himself into.

The only one he would look at was Sunstreaker. Ratchet was lifting him onto his back with the help of one of the dragons to carry him back to the dens. If he couldn’t make the trip on his own, he had to be hurt pretty badly.

Sunstreaker. What would happen to him now? He didn’t dare to ask. He knew he wouldn’t like the answer.

Despair settled into the pit of his stomach like an uncomfortably big stone, and he doubted it would leave anytime soon. He had no idea what he was going to do without Sunstreaker. What Sunstreaker was going to do without _him_. They’d never been apart.

What would he do without Sunstreaker..?

Well, he was about to find out. Ratchet was ready to carry Sunstreaker back to the clan, and Megatron…

“You should leave, Megatron. You _are_ trespassing,” Optimus said. Sideswipe could hear the reluctance in his vocals, because Megatron leaving would mean Sideswipe left too.

It hurt.

Megatron didn’t seem opposed to Optimus’ politely worded order. The great dragon ruffled his wings, by all accounts _satisfied_ with what he’d accomplished that day. It was so unfair how someone’s victory was another’s misery, but that just was life, wasn’t it?

“I won’t overstay my _welcome_ ,” said Megatron pleasantly, _as if_ he had been welcome in the first place. “And, Optimus… I do thank you for this _wonderful_ gift.” Every syllable of those words was meant to incite a reaction out of Optimus. It was the same banter they always had during the times their clans clashed. This time Megatron had something more to add to it, though, and Sideswipe stiffened when one of the tyrant’s forelegs was swung over his shoulders, pulling him against the silvery dragon’s side.

Right where he didn’t want to be.

He wanted to scream _‘I’m not yours!’_ , but that wouldn’t have been true. He was. He was his. He belonged to his _mate_ now. It was his time to depart his birth clan and enter _adulthood_ and everything that entailed.

His heart despaired, but his choices were scarce. Sideswipe bit his tongue and let the words die in his throat.

Although he couldn’t see it, he just _knew_ Megatron was smirking in that smug way of his. Optimus was noticeably restraining himself, his bristling visible even from this distance. “ _Now_ ,” the Prime commanded with a tight voice.

Megatron laughed, and Sideswipe had a moment of respite when the smothering leg was removed. It didn’t last long when Megatron moved to cut his line of sight with his family. Sideswipe jerked in surprise, his eyes snapping up to Megatron’s. The dragon’s expression was mild, but there was expectation there.

Beaten, Sideswipe obeyed the unspoken command and turned around to the direction of the border with the Deceptitribe with just one more furtive glance at Sunstreaker. At least Sunstreaker would be safe and taken care of.

Sideswipe would find a way to survive too.

A sharp nip on his rump had Sideswipe jumping forward, an unnecessary glance behind himself confirming Megatron’s presence, his _mate_ now looking at him impatiently. The red dragon took the hint and set his sore body into motion. Every aching step away from his _home_ made things that much more real, and more than once he failed to resist the temptation to glance back at his family. Some were turning to head back, others still stared after him.

Their shapes grew smaller and smaller between the canyon walls each time he looked back, and every time there was a harsh nip to his croup, urging him to pick up the pace until he was trotting across the dry ground, his tormentor barely a step behind him – right on the task of herding him straight into his new life.

The sun was starting to set.

**Author's Note:**

> The question is "What will Sunstreaker do?"
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
